2013 Redman Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

Cracka Value Rating

Cracka Review

Redman has been around for donkeys years, and the name has been parodied all over the place (just think of 'Rouge Homme'). However, the wines have always been very good and dependable, and this Cab Merlot is from a toasty vintage. It's a big, voluptuous style of wine and shows rich, ripe smells of blackberries, choc-coated plums and toasted cedar on the nose. The palate is full-bodied and juicy, with super-ripe dark plum and mocha flavours, hints of anise-like spice, a solid line of fine tannins, and a tight, compact finish that keeps on truckin'. Needs time or a big hunk of rare steak!

Winemaker's Notes

Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon 60%, Merlot 40%.

Winemakers Notes: The Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes used to make this wine were specially selected from hand pruned, low yielding, mature vines grown on the Redman family vineyards in the heart of Coonawarra.
The conditions leading into the 2013 vintage were excellent, with good winter rains and a warm fast flowering period in late spring. A good fruit set resulted in average crop levels. Summer was warm and dry, with a cool autumn allowing the grapes to ripen to optimum maturity.
The Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes were harvested during the first week of April, and then were fermented together in open concrete fermenters for seven days. Half the wine was run off skins and transferred to new French oak hogsheads.
The remainder of the wine was transferred to two and three year old French oak hogsheads, after malolactic fermentation was completed. The wine then spent a further eighteen months in oak prior to being bottled in February 2015. There were only 270 dozen of this premium wine produced.

Palate: The medium-bodied palate shows ripe fruit with rich soft tannins. The flavours carry through to a long dry finish.

Alc/vol: 13.6%

expert reviews about

2013 Redman Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

Expert Reviews

Gary Walsh (2013 Vintage) says

Chocolate, mint and nougat, black fruit. Medium to full bodied, thick and tannic, very dense feel to this, with black fruit and black tobacco, firm acidity, and a dark chocolate and black olive aftertaste. It’s pretty well packed, that’s for sure. Needs a few years.

2020 - 2029

92

James Halliday (2009 Vintage) says

A 51/49% co-fermented blend, open-fermented in concrete vats; half pressed to new French hogsheads to complete fermentation, the remainder to used hogsheads; 2 more years in oak. Mulberry, blackcurrant and Coonawarra mint flavours fill the medium-bodied palate, the tannins soft, the oak integrated.

Drink by 2025

93

Campbell Mattinson (2009 Vintage) says

Two years in French oak. Bottled in mid-2011. Only 450 dozen produced. Good insight into mature Cooonawarra Cabernet. Five years old but it’s already found itself in a good drinking spot. It tastes off leather, mulberry, toasty oak, game and tobacco. It’s juicy but firm, medium-bodied and opens up attractively as it rests in the glass.